BROOKINGS — The South Dakota State volleyball program has announced an 11-day trip to Brazil on June 11-22. The Jackrabbits will train, play and tour in four Brazilian cities.

“Our program is very excited that a 10-day trip in Brazil is just over a month away!” said head coach Dan Georgalas. “In addition to the scheduled competitions and the memorable team bonding experiences, the NCAA allows 10 days of practice in Brookings leading up to the trip. This is a competitive advantage we won’t take lightly. This extra summer access allows us to get a 20-day head start on our season that will begin in August. We plan to maximize this resource to help kick start us towards another successful season this fall.”

SDSU will start its trip in São Paulo, where they will host a volleyball clinic and compete against a local team. The team will also visit Ibirapuera Park and Mercado Municipal de São Paulo. The Jacks will then travel to Rio de Janeiro to spend time at the beach at Copacabana, Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer) and Pao de Azucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain).

The Jackrabbits will also host a clinic and compete at the Brazilian National Team’s training facility in Saquarema. The final stop on the tour will be at Arraial do Cabo before flying home from Rio de Janeiro.

“Most importantly, we want to extend a huge thank you to all of the fans, boosters, and supporters who have made this foreign tour happen,” Georgalas added. “This has been an important fundraising goal for us the last four years and we couldn’t have done it without the help of so many people. We take great pride in being able to provide this experience for our student-athletes and we are grateful for the support of our SDSU community.”

The Jackrabbits’ tour will be featured on the SDSU volleyball social media channels @GoJacksVB.